Just over a year ago my husband and I launched our first book together, Just Be. He's the designer mastermind, I'm the content creator. It has been such a joy working with him over these past few years designing a book that inspires the reader both with it's content and design.
A table reader that welcomes you with open arms, embraces you in a hug of words, deposits nuggets of truth into your life and reminds you how deeply loved you are.
I had always wanted to write a book with pictures. A pictures speak a thousand words, as the saying goes, and so much more in my case. I knew what the vision was for the book from the beginning, but in the middle the vision was tested.
Having a beautiful book with both text and photographs is a fabulous idea, in theory, but when we did our research it turned out to cost much more to print than we thought. I can remember having a discussion with my husband about the cost difference. To print a book with text and photos cost roughly four times the amount it cost for us to print with black and white text only!
It was in the middle of the writing process, when looking at these costs, that thoughts like this started arising...
"Maybe we should just print a text only book."
"If we print a full color book we won't make any money."
"Will people even want a book with photography in it?"
"Kindle can't even translate the pictures, is it worth printing a book that can't be on kindle?"
But we decided we weren't going to compromise on the vision God had placed in our hearts. We sucked it up and moved forward, staying true to the quality of product we knew God had put within us to create.
The vision is often crystal clear in the beginning. Yet, when challenges come and things aren't what you expected them to be, we are often tempted to compromise our clarity of vision in the middle.
It's been one year and one week since launching our book, Just Be. I'm now speaking to you from the other side. It's from this side that I say to you—stay true to what God has put in your heart. Don't compromise in the middle.
Follow His direction and watch Him do miracles on the other side of your yes to Him.
Looking back, the one thing we were tempted to cut has been the strand that has tied the book together. The photographs gracing each page reflect the beauty of the text, making the book infinitely richer. In many instances it's what people have loved most about the book! I can't even imagine what Just Be would be like without the pictures. It would be a partial version of what God had placed in our hearts, at best.
I'm so thankful to God for allowing us to push past the difficulties and follow Him obediently. He has blessed us above and beyond. I believe He will do the same for each of your lives.
"God, grant us the grace to fully embrace Your vision for our lives and fiercely protect its clarity, whatever the cost."
Photo Credit: Claire Morgan
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